Instrument for tracing the outline of the human foot



(No Model.)

A. W.- COX INSTRUMENT FOR TRAGING THE OUTLINE OF THE HUMAN FOOT.

No. 317,309. Patented May 5, 1885- \A/ITN E5555! Mwzag fiefy HFEW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR TV. COX, OF NEWARK, NEIV JERSEY.

INSTRUMENT FOR TRACING THE OUTLINE OF THE HUMAN FOOT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 317,309, dated May 5, 1885.

Application filed February 26, 1885. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern..- 7

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. COX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tracing-Instruments; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, refer-' ence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object to provide an instrument by which one can accurately trace the outline of rounding irregular or varying surfaces, such as a last, the human foot, &c.

The invention is intended especially for use by shoe'makers in tracing the foot for the purpose of getting an accurate fit of a boot or shoe.

The invention consists, broadly, in an'article fitted to support a pencil, and having a base-surface and a guide-edge, the latter being formed at an angle to the base-surface, for

the purposes presently described.

The invention consists, further, in other improvements, which will be described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a top plan view, of my improvement.

The holder A is preferably formed of wood, but may be made of metal, celluloid, or other suitable substance desired. This holder is formed with a base-surface, B,and aguide-edge, C, and the corner formed at the intersection of such surface 13 and O is preferably broken away, as shown at D, Fig. 1, in order that the point of the pencil may be seen. The edge (1 is usually and preferably formed vertical, as shown, but manifestly may be formed at an acute or obtuse angle to the base, in cases where it is desired to form the outline slightly smaller or larger than the object outlined, as may be in some cases desired. I form the edge 0 with a sharp surface bybeveling or curving back from such edge, as shown in Fig. 2, in order that the device may act accurately and easily in rounding a sharp turn. The base is pro vided with supports E, which extend laterally out with their lower edges resting in the plane of the surface B, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. I round up the outer ends of these supports E, in order to avoid their engaging any roughnesses 011 the paper or other material upon which the outline is being formed. These supports enable the device to be accurately held in position, and prevent its being tilted inadvertently while in use. The pencil-opening F is formed through the holder A at an angle between the surfaces B and O in such manner that the point of such pencil will rest at the intersection of planes of the surfaces 13 and C. An opening, G, is formed transversely through the body A, and inter sects the body F, as will be understood from the drawings. A wedge, H, is driven through this opening G, and bears on the pencil. This wedge may be of wood, and removably placed in the opening G; or it may be made of rubber or other elastic material, and fixed in the opening G in such manner as to bear on the pencil, and by frictional contact hold the same in the position inwhich it is set.

For simplicity and economy of construction it is preferred to support the pencil in the mannershow'n; but it willbe understood that a separate clamp might be employed and attached to the body A for holding the pencil without departing from the principles of my invention.

It is preferred in practice to employ an ordinary pencil; but manifestly a metallic scriber or other marking implement might be used without departing from the invention.

In use the foot or other object desired to be traced is put on a piece of paper, and the device shown moved around it, the guide-edge O resting and moving against the sides of the foot, and the entire circuit is made. By the edge 0, it will be seen, a corresponding arrangement of the point of the pencil isinsured dur ing the entire circuit of the foot, and all irregularities and inaccuracies occurring by the change of angle of the pencil when held in the hand is avoided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A pencil-holder for outlinetracing hav ing a base-surface and a guide-edge at an angle to such base-surface, substantially as set forth.

2. The pencil-holder for outline-tracin g having a base or rest surface, a guide-edge formed at right angle to such base-surface, and a pencil-support, by which the pencil may be held with its point resting at the intersection of thelines of the base and the guide-edge, substantially as set forth.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a pencil-holder having a base-surface, aguideedge at an angle to such surface, a pencilopening intermediatesaidsurface and edge,and a transverse opening intersecting the peneilopening and fitted to receive a wedge, sub- 7 stantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a pencil-holder ARTHUR XV. COX.

Witnesses: V ABRAHAM 1\'[ANNERS, WILLIAM L. BRICE. 

